Humidifier



June 23, 51942.

F. FURLONG ETA'L y HUMIDIFIER- Filed sept. 11, 1940 2 sheets-sheet 1 i Inventorsl Francis AFurflong X( arman C. Penfold till" 7/1 e 9( ad A tornys June 23, 1942. F. A. FURLoNG ETAL f 2,287,376

HMIDIFIER Filed sept. l1, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet '2 rcmczs ur ong rma. e'n d` Patented .lune 23, 1942 2,287,376 HUMrDiFIE-R Francis A. Furlong and Normanv C. Penfold, Chicago, Ill., assignors to Autogas Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Appiioation September 11, 1940, Serial No. 356,270

7 Claims.

This invention relates to humidiers and more particularly to the type for evaporating water and supplying vapor to living spaces and the like.

It has been found in the operation of humidiers particularly in those sections in which the water is hard the operating parts tend to become coated with a deposit of scale so that after a relatively short time the eiciency of the humidier decreases rapidly. This is due not only to the insulating effect of such scale deposits but also to the clogging of passages for the flow of steam or water.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a humidier in which deposition of scale is eliminated. According to one important feature of the invention this is accomplished by periodically draining the water from the humidifier and ushing the humidifier parts so that a suicient concentration of mineral mat*- ter in the water to cause deposition is avoided.

Another object of the invention is torprovide a humidier which is periodically automatically drained and ushed.

stili another object of the 'invention is to 'provide a humidier in which the admission of water is dependent upon steaming and in which the maintenance of a predetermined water supply is assured for operation of the water admission means. 1

The above and other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be apparent from the following description when read in connection with the Aaccompanying drawings, in

Which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view of a humidiiier PTOPeI; and

Figures 2 and 3 are diagrammatic views illustrating alternative installations. A Y

The humidier shown in Figurel includes a tank having an enlarged upper portion lil, and a reduced power portion I2 at one side of the upper portion. A horizontal connecting wall `I4 forms a partial bottom for the upper portion and serves to join the upper and lower portions.

'Ihe tank is adapted to contain water substantially to the midpoint of the upper portion as shown and water in the upper portion is heated by a burner it mounted below the horizontal wall l. Preferably an insulating block i8 is arranged between the burner and the tank portion i2 to prevent heating of the water therein. The burner discharges into a passage formed by a jacket 2) extending across the wall portion I8 and up one side of the tank I to a iiue 22.

Water is admitted to the tank through a pipe 24 terminating in a nozzlefclosed by a valve carried by the free end of a bi-metal strip 26. 'Ihe strip 26 is mounted at its upper end in the top part of an open pipe 28 lying beside the tank and communicating with the bottom of the lower tank portion I2. A horn member 30 is connected to the pipe 28 adjacent the strip 26 and terminates in a downwardly facing opening lying at the desired Water level. When the water level drops, steam from the tank iioWs through the horn member 30 and out the open end of the pipe 28, heating the strip 26 and causing the valve to open to admit more water. If desired, the valve may be opened manually by a pin 32 connected to the strip 26 and extending through the'sideY of the pipe 28. v

Innormal operation vapor formed in the tank is discharged through an outlet nozzle 34 and may be conducted therefrom to any desired point of use. The nozzle is preferably provided with a restricted orifice plate 35 offering greater resistance to the iiow of steam than the horn member 30 so that when the water level drops substantially all of the generated steam will flow through the horn member. The construction as so far describedy is substantially identical with that more particularly described and claimed in our co-pending application, Serial No. 319,228 filed September 16, 1940.

According to the present invention water is removed from the tank by a pump means shown in Figure 1 as comprising a water operated ejector 38. A nozzle 40 in the ejector communicates with a water pipe 42 which is connected through a spray nozzle 44 with the Water inlet pipe indicated at 4t. Valve 48 controls the flow of water through the pipes 46 and 42.

As best seen in Figure 2, the valve 48 is electrically operated and is controlled by a mercury switch 50. The mercury switch 56 is pivotally mounted and tends normally to tilt to its closed position but is controlled by a cam disk 52 driven by a suitable clock'motor or the like not shown. When the switch 5) is closed the valve 48 is connected to a power source shown as a transformer 54 and is opened to admit water from the main 56 into the pipe 46. From this pipe water flows to the nozzle 44, a portion of it spraying into the upper part of the tank and the remainder owing through the pipe 42 to the injector nozzle 40.

The cam disk 52 is so shaped as normally to hold the switch 50 in open position but is provided with a low spot for periodically closing the switch 50 to energize the valve 48. The low spot is preferably so arranged as to maintain the valve open for a relatively short period of time as for example, two minutes, and may be driven at such a speed as to open the valve at any desired interval depending upon the hardness of the water. When the valve is opened the ejector is operated to pump water from the tank and at the same time water sprays from the nozzle 44 into the tank to wash any deposits from the walls thereof. cools the tank so that steaming will not occur during the draining period and so that the water pipe 24 will remain closed during this period. When the cam operates to again open the switch 50 the valve 48 will be closed and the humidifier will continue to operate in its normal manner.

Due to the construction of the tank with the reduced lower portion I2 containing relatively cool water any minerals precipitated from the water will tend to collect in this portion and will be pumped therefrom by the ejector. This insures that the tank is kept clean and in goo-d operating condition at all times.

In order to insure operation of the water admitting means after the tank has been drained provisions are made to retain a minimum amount of water in the tank at all times. As shown, this is effected by providing a short wall 58 extending upwardly from one side of the wall portion I4 at which it connects with the tank portion l2. The wall 58 retains a pool of water above `the wall I4 so that after the tank is drained steam will be formed to heat the bimetal stripr 26 thereby to open the end of the water pipe 24 so that water will be admitted to the tank.

The construction of Figure 3 is substantially similar to that of Figures 1 and 2 and parts therein corresponding to like parts in Figures 1 and 2 have been designated by the same reference numerals. In this construction the pipe 46 communicates With the nozzle 44 and terminates at that point so that all of the water flowing therethrough will be sprayed into the tank, The ejector 38 of Figures 1 and 2 has been replaced by a gear pump 60 driven by a motor 62 and connected to the lower part of the pipe 28. The motor 60 and the Valve 48 are both controlled by the mercury switch 50 so that when the valve is open the motor will be energized. 'I'he operation of this construction is substantially identical to that described above in connection with Figures 1 and 2 and will not be repeated.

While two embodiments -of the invention have been illustrated and described in detail it will be understood that these are not intended as a dei-lnition of the scope of the invention, reference being had for that purpose to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A humidifier comprising a tank to contain water, means for heating water in the tank to vaporize it, a horn member in the tank terminating in a downwardly facing opening at the desired level of Water in the tank, means operated by ow of steam through said horn member when'the water level falls below said opening for admitting water to the tank, means for periodically draining the water from the tank, and spray means operable simultaneously with -the draining means and so positioned in the tank as to flush it, the water being of such temperature that the formation of steam during the ushing and draining operation does not take place.

Water spraying from the nozzle 44 also 2. A humidier comprising a tank to contain water, means for heating water in the tank to vaporize it, a horn member in the tank terminating in a downwardly facing opening at the desired level of water in the tank, means operated by flow of steam through said horn member when the water level falls below said -opening for admitting water to the tank, means for periodically draining the water from the tank, spray means operable simultaneously with the draining means and so positioned in the tank as to flush it, the water being of such temperature that the formation of steam during the ushing and draining operation does not take place, and means in the tank to retain a relatively small volume of Water therein whereby steam will be formed to operate the water admitting means during draining.

3. A humidier comprising a tank having an enlarged upper portion and a reduced lower portion joined by a substantially horizontal wall, means for heating said wall to vaporize water in the tank, means to drain water from the tank communicating with said reduced lower portion, and means to retain a minimum level of water above said wall.

4. A humidier comprising a tank having an enlarged upper portion and a reduced lower portion joined by a substantially horizontal wall, means for heating said wall to vaporize water in the tank, means to drain Water from the tank communicating with said reduced lower portion, a horn member in the tank terminating in a downwardly facing opening at a level above said wall, means operated by the flow of steam through said horn member when the level of the water drops below the opening to admit water to the tank, and means to retain a minimum level of water above said wall during draining to initiate operation of the Water admitting means after draining.

5. A humidifier comprising a tank having an enlarged upper portion and a reduced lower portion joined by a substantially horizontal wall, means for heating said wall to vaporize Water in the tank, means to drain water from the tank communicating with said reduced lower portion, a horn member in the tank terminating in a downwardly facing opening at a level above said wall, means operated by the flow of steam through said horn member when the level of the water drops below the opening to admit water to the tank, means to retain a minimum level of water above said wall during draining to initiate operation of the water admitting means after draining, said drain means including water operated pump means, a spray nozzle in the upper part of the tank, and control means for periodically simultaneously admitting water to said pump means and spray nozzle the temperature of the water discharged from the spray nozzle being such that formation of steam does not take place during the draining and spraying operation.

6. A humidifier comprising a tank to contain water, means for heating water in the tank to vaporize it, means operated by heated vapor from the tank to maintain a predetermined level of water in the tank, means for periodically draining water from the tank, and spray means operable simultaneously with the draining means and so positioned in the tank as to ush it, the water being of such temperature that the formation of heated vapor to operate the water level maintaining means during the flushing and draining operation does not take place.

7. A humidifier comprising a tank to contain Water, means for heating water in the tank to vaporize it, means operated by heated vapor from the tank to maintain a predetermined level of Water in the tank, means for periodically draining water from the tank, and spray means operable simultaneously with the draining means and so positioned in the tank as to flush it, the 10 Water being of such temperature that the formation of heated Vapor to operate the water level maintaining means during the flushing and draining operation does not take piace, and means in the tank to hold a minimum quantity of Water therein to initiate operation of the water level maintaining means when the draining means is inoperative.

FRANCIS A. FURLONG.

NORMAN C. PENFOLD. 

